Railway maintenance and construction car



Augpll, 1931. H. w. PRoTzl-:LLER 1,818,750

RAILWAY MAINTENANCE AND CONSTRUCTION CAR Filed April 22, 1929 s sheets-sheet 1 Aug. 11, 193.1. H. w. PRoTzr-:LLER

RAILWAY MAINTENANCE AND CONSTRUCTION CAR 3 Sheets-Sheet v2 Filed Apri Nw A vf/e J w ,l d@ pxw w/@A 1./ Z

Aug. 11, 1931. Hjw. PRoTzELLER 1,818,750

RAILWAIYUMVINTENANCE AND CONSTRUCTION CAVR- y, Filed April 22,' 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 p Patented Aug. 11, 1931 PATENT.; OFFICE HAnBYWfInOTzELLEn, oiiinAs'r CHICAGO, INDIANA, AssIGNOR .To o. F. JORDAN COMPANY, or EAST CHICAGO; INDIANA, A CORPORATION OFINDIANA ,Y

` lI'tAIIAJv'AY MAINTENANCE AND CONSTRUCTION CAR This invention relates to improvements in railway'm-aintenance and construction cars and it consists in the matters hereinafter described and' more 4particularly pointed out in the'app'ended claims. v l The primary object of the 4invention is to provide in a car of this kind, improved means carried by and adaptedffor cooperation with the main spreade'nwing for forming a ditch of 'the desired depth parallel with the track without 'disturbing the distance recognizedk as'the usual'standard between the track and inner' corner of the ditch. i

lStill another object of the invention is to 'provide a simple andveiiicient ditching' blade construction carried onthe rear side of the main spreader wing and so disposed thereon forprojeotion andretraction in a planeother than` erpendicular that" thef-de-pthof the 2G ditch eing made maybe changed at will even-while the car is moving.A

`These objectsof hey invention as well as othrstogether with.- the many advantages will ymore .fully lappear as I proceed-with my l speci-oation.. j g i rvyIn the drawings :-l y -1 i ig. 11 is a view inside elevation ofthe front end portionoffa railway maintenance 4 and construction car embodying'my inven- .aotionl a l ,y .1,

Eig. 2isga view in ele'vationon anjenlarged scale fof 'the rear side'of thespreader wing, in which lthe preferredformofY-theinvention w is embodied. v Y 36 Fig'. f3 islalongitudinal@sectional viewthrough thes'ame as taken on theline 3-3 of kFignQ. ,Y A

f Fig; 4. is a `Vvertical sectional view through .the spreader wing' as taken on thel line 1 -4 40': ofFig.' 2. y

- 5Vis fadifagr'ammatic viewlshowingl a conventional cross-section ofv a ditch Irrade by my'im royed'colnstruct'ion. Y Q Fig. 6i 1s af viewin Vrear elevationy of the ditcher' blade embodied in my improved construction.l s f f Y Fig. '7 is a'verticalsection'view through the ditcher blade as taken'on theline '(4-47 of Fgy 'f 1 wi Figi elsfwiewrn rear'elevation of the majseriai No. 356,915.

,Carrier plate for the ditching blade, with parts broken away to morefclearly show the construction thereof. f

IReferring now in detail tov thatKL embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, 1 indicates as a whole the body of the car provided at both ends with wheels 2 for travel upon the rails of a railroad track 3. At the -front endf'of thevcar is a V shaped plow 4 and at each side of said front-l end of the car is a-`plow wing or apron 5.

Said plow and its side Wings are vertically y adjustable by meansV of an upright pneumatic cylinder 6 disposed at the frontend of the car boy. f Y

- Rising froml each side of the car'body and its underframing,V at substantially the rear end of vthe plow wings 5 5is an upri ht wing post' 7 and above the decking of the The to end' of each vwing post is braced lby bars 9 rom an associatedy standard l1'() rising; from the body, just to the rear `of the front plow 4.Y l

' Mounted onthefbottom portionofthewing ment, is a hinge plate 11 and on `the topy por; tionofthe post is a collar`12, also mounted fora vertical rand a turning movement. 13 indicatesa horizontally disposed boom fixed atitsi'nner end tothe collar 12 and the outeri end of said'boom'is Supported from' the hinge plate 11 by a brace'la.y

l -14 indicates asa whole the vinner or main ballast spreader wing, there being one of such Wings associated with each wing post. Said wingcomprises a skeletonlike b'odyl5 and a front Vplate 16 and on the rear side of said body v'atrits inner end is a `plate 16. These( f cured'a yoke l9i'ncluding a tubular body 20.

Telescopically s'lidabley in said body isv atube ody, to therear of thefposts is an operators cab Such swinging Y post for a vertical as well as a turning move- 21 which is operatively connected at one end to the usual piston in the cylinder and is operatively connected at its other endto the wing 14 by means of front and rear bracket plates 22.

lVhen air under pressure is admitted to one end or the other of the cylinder 18, the tube 21 telescopes inwardly or outwardly of the body 20 so as to impart a raising or lowering swinging movement to the wing 14 about its pivotal connection 17 with the hinge plate.` On the body 20 is a suitable locking device 2()at by which the tube is locked to the body to hold the wing in the desired angular position. Suitable means, not herein shown, operatively connect thebody 1 of the car with the rearA side of the wing 14 whereby the wing may be swung about the wing post away from or toward said car body. y

The skeleton body of the wing is formed to provide top and bottom parallel grooved guides `or rails 23-24 which are inclined downwardly and outwardly at an angle to both the vertical and horizontal as best shown in Fig. 2. Preferably I dispose the top guide or rail in that inclined plane that passes through the topinner and bottom outer corner of the wing as a whole. Asthe bottom uide or rail is parallel with the top one, it ollows that the bottom guide or rail opens through the bottom of the Wing about midway between its ends.

wing are connected together by an elongated plate 25'secured at its ends to the rear face of said frame portions in any suitablemanner.V Thus, there is provided on t-he bottom of theframe an opening which communicates with a space 26 between said guides or rails. Itis pointed out atthis time that the bottom inner `Corner of the wing is cut away as at 27 along a line parallel with the guides'or rails 23-24 Associated withsaid cut away portion 27on the front yor outer side of the wing is a shoe or blade 28 whichis pivoted at its outer and narrower end to the wing as at 29. On ,the rearside of saidshoe, near its inner and widerend is Vixedone endof an arcuate bracket 30, Said bracket is concentric with pivotal axis 29 andiits'other end overhangs the plate 16a on the rear side of the skeleton body or frame 15. In said bracket is formed a'V plurality of spaced openings 31 to register with a hole provided therefor in the wing, a pin 31a being inserted through the registerlng holes to secure the shoe in lproper `position with respect to the wing.

32.v indicates as a whole a substantially pointed element or casting which will be hereinafter referred to asa ditching blade carrier plate. Said clement comprises a body 33 having a `substantially horizontal hollow bottom portion 34 divided ofi into chambers orv compartments by longitudinally spaced, vertically disposed walls 35. Said element The portions of the skeleton frame at the bottom edge of the also has top and bottom, parallel inclined portions 36 and 37 respectively disposed at an angle to said bottom portion and which project beyond the wider end of the body portion 33 in which is formed a pocket 38 as best shown in Fig. 8. The inclined portions 36 and 37 bear the same angular relation to the hollow bottom portion of the carrier plate as the guides or rails 23-24 bear to the bottom portion of the wing and said portions 36-37 are formed for sliding guided movement within rand longitudinally of said Vguides or rails;

39 indicates a ditching blade having vertically spaced top and bottom portions 40 and 41 of dilferent lengths. and inner and outer inclined end portions 42 andv 43 respectively as best shown in Fig. 6. In the top portion of the ditching blade are longitudinally spaced notches 44 dividingy said top portions into tongues 45. The top portion of the blade iits into the bottom portion of the carrier plate and when soviitted the tongues 45 exi tend into the compartments 34 thereof and the notches 44 receive the walls 35 after which saidv portions of the carrier plate and blade are riveted or bolted together in any suitable manner. lWhen the ditching blade is secured to the carrier plate 33,'the inclined Connecting the `inner end i parts ofthe guides or rails 234424 is an openlike frame 46.

in which is journalled ina plane between, but parallel with said guides or rails, a rotative nut 47 suitably held against endwise move,- ment. Operativ'ely engaged in said nut is a screw threaded rod 48 having its iouter end formed to provide a circularflat head 49 that engages in the pocket 38 ofthe carrier plate. In said head is` an elongated opening 50 through which a pin or bolt 50a extends to operatively connect `said .rodv to the carrier plate withav limited amount of play or lost motion betweenthem. Q'Ihepurpose of suchj play or lost motion will later appear. Y g

On the rear face ofA theV wing toward the inner top corner thereof is mounted a motor 51 of the reversible type. Said motor is preferably 'a pneumatic onerand onits shaft is fixed asprocket 52 which throughr a chain 53 drives a larger sprocket 54 fixed on one end ofthe nut 47. lWhen themotor runs in one direction, it will turn the nut 47 to feed the rod 48, carrier plate 33 and ditching blade 39 outwardly and when said motor runs in the other direction it feeds therod carrier plate and ditching blade inwardly. In this mannerA the ditc'hingblade may be projected orretracted' along theguides or rails 234-24..

inandfcond-uilts '51 leading thereto from said motor; f j f v f connection withithe main-wing 14 is .a secondary wing hereinafter Vtermed an eX- tension wing or bankfshapin :and material carrying 'wing for the rea-sont at -it ils-secon-V ne'cted to the main wing as to-be either as -a-n extension of `the emain wing .or when lmoved into different angularpositions with respect thereto may Abe .employed :to shapeup a bank'or fto carry :material forwardly tofll 1in cuts and hollows. The wing 5'5 is pivoted at V56 to a plate57 which in turn is pivoted .togtheouter lbottom corner of the main wing .to swingabout a horizontally disposed axis :58.- 'The top edge ots'aid plate 57 is made concentric with theipivotal axis .58 andie-Xtends minder an .arcuate flainige 159 on the front `face of :the main wing. `In saidilange and associated portion .of the `plate .57 are openings through the desirediregistering ones of 'which la :pin 6() may tbe inserted to lock the plate in the desired angular relationy upon the main wing. v v When the wing .55 is disposed iin the plane ofthe wing 14, it may be :swung :about the pivotl58 into diiferentangular positions with respect theretoby fmeans of :a double acting cylinder 60 disposed on the top edge of the wing 14. The .piston rod 61 .of said cylinder is operatively connected :to across head k62 slidable .on a guide .63 :also .disposed fupon the top edgeof'lthe wing 14. 'f A link L64 1s connec'ted at'one yend to fthe cross Iheadfand 1s detachably connected at its other-end to the rear side offsthe wing:55. When air under pressure rlis admitted tothe :proper .end oi the cylinder i60', itis apparentV that the wing 55 is lpositively.swung .up or i.down :about the pivot :58. .Said ywing .55 is .operatively conm nectedV at i its rear :side with lthewcar `body .by

. means of braces, in the usual mannerand not herein lshown. i y

vWhen it is desired to employ @the wing55 as acari-ier wing, the braces justaboye mentioned are :disconnected tromithe' rea'rfside-.of thefwingfand the llink 64 is likewise disconnected therefrom. Thereafterthe wing :may be swung about 'che into .thedesired p0- siti'on withrespect to fthe car :and iszheld .in said position by means yof za brace #615 on V:the standard 10., adapted orengagement with -a coactingdeyice in the 'front face near the outer end of said wing 55.

in Fi-ig. isillustrated atransverse cross section ao ta -Itypical 'road Shed vconstruction wherein 'the breast 166 of fthe bal-last slopes down tothe'horizontal iberm 6.7. The outer edge 68 fof the vberm which defines one :edge ofthe -diit'ch 69 is spaced-laterally from-the' rail 3 .fa V'certain speciedstandard distance, which distancepniust lremainunchanged :al-

. thunghfsuchfdistanceniay vary upon different railroads.

trim anches .winnie tra Salland Vemployed cross section, 4has -oppositely sloping inner and outer "side walls 70 and 711' respectively and a horizontal bottomr wall 72, the bank 73 4beginn-ing at the outer edge of the ditch 69.- As before mentioned, the edge 68 must contorni as to distance from l'the lrail iby ycertain speciiication adoptedby the railroad and the yonly deviation permitted is in case of.

passingyabout or .around some insurmountable obstruction. As to the depth of the ditch, the same may be changed to meetfthe conditions at hand, but ordinarily the deeper thefdiltchythe wider it isV made but still maintaining the inner ledge of ythe ditchas before .'eXp'lained. `In Fig. l5 I 'have shown `the substantial maximum width and depth Aof the ditch in full lines and -two smaller or more narrowrand shallow ditchcross sections in dotted lines.

With .the distance between the rail .and inner edge or `line 68 of the ditch .69 known in advance, the wing-14 is swung outwardly a'wayirom Athe car body about the wing post until lthe .ou-terend of the guide 24 coincides therewith. The motor 51 is :then actuated 4.to project 'the carrier .33 Land ditching `blade 39 outwardly lthe-desireddistance for the depth and width 1of the ditch .to `be made.

` .As ,the guides 23 and 24fare disposed in the anglecorresponding :to .the angle of the inner side I'Oo vthe ditch, it follows `that when the ditching blade yis projected, the ledge 68 does not vary .although the depth .and width of the ditch increases in proportion to vthe ratte of .projection .of the blade. Thus, .to drain .a certain vlocality adjacent atrack, -a shallow and marrow ditch 4is :begun and by gradually :projecting theditching blade vas the Ycar proceeds, the ditch `iis Imade wider :and deeper. yThus drainage from the ballastis taken Careof and `the water may be caused to zflowialong-the ditch for disposal.

To ditchaboutan obstruction, the wing 14V is swung in toward the car so as to passsaid obstruction. r:[hus .as it -is apparent by correctly7 :positioning the wing i4 and then actuating the ditchingblade, the ditch-'may be 4ior-Ined :at :any lrequired Vdistance .froin'the railv and :may bemaintainedfexcept when` necessary to lpasszafround :a large obstruction.

0f 'cou-rse, due tothe :nature ofthe work n carried out., Vlooselballast material andthe like is apt to accumulate upon thebac'k of the wing and into :the guide 24. 1 However, with the play provided 'between fthe carrier plate 33 and rod 48 'before described, this play permits 'of imparting small initial jerking movements to -the .carrier and blade to free it from binding when such :material packs up thereon. These small j erking movements readily -free the .carrier plate and blade .so that they may then bermore readily andeasily projected and retracted.`

n When it is desired to employ the wings 14 and.55..;for ballast spreading and shaping opist erations without ditching, the` carrier and blade are retracted to that extent so that the bottom horizontal edge of the blade substantially coincides with the bottom edge of the wing 14. f

With the improved construction, a general maintenance of the road bed is easily carried out and when ditches are necessary the same can be produced in the same operation along with spreading and shaping.

While in describing my invention I have referred in detail to the form, arrangement and construction of the various parts thereof, the same is to be considered as illustrative only so that I do not wish to be limited thereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention 1. A railway maintenance and construction car embodying therein a car, a spreader wing carried thereby for forming a portion of a road bed and a ditcher element mounted on the rear side of the wing for a projecting and retracting movement with respect to the bottom of said wing.

2. In combination with a spreader wing having a substantially horizontal bottom edge portion, a ditching blade, means on one side of said wing disposed at an angle to said bottom edge other than a right angle and providing a guide for said blade and means for projecting and retracting said blade along said guide, with respectto said bottom edge of the wing.

3. In combination with a spreader wing having a substantially horizontal bottom edge portion, a ditching blade, means on one side of said wing disposed at an angle to said bottom edge other than a right angle and providing a guide for said blade and `means formed with a limited amount of play therein for projecting and reti-acting said blade along said guide with respect to said bottom edge of the wing.

4. In combination with a spreader wing having a substantially horizontal bottom edge portion, a ditching blade, means on one side of said wing disposed at an angle to said bottom edge other than a right angle and providing a guidefor said blade, a screw threaded member carried by said wing and operatively engaged with said blade to move it in either direction along said guide.

5. In combination with a spreader wing having a substantially horizontal bottom edge portion, a ditching blade, means on one side of said wing disposed at an angle to said bottom edge other than a right angle and providing a guide for said blade, a screw threaded member operatively connected at one end to said blade, a nut in which the other end of said screw threaded member is engaged and means for turning said nut in either direction.

6. In combination with a spreader wing having a substantially horizontal bottom edge portion, a ditching blade, means on one side of said wing disposed at an angle to said bottom edge otherthan a right angle and providing a guide for said blade `and a screw threaded member carried by said wing and operatively engaged with said blade with a limited amount oi lost motion therebetween for moving said blade in either (direction along said guide.

7. In combination with a spreader wing, a pair of inclined parallel guide rails on one side of the wing and extendingv to the bottom of `said wing and a ditching blade mounted for movementin said guides, said blade having an edge disposed in the plane of one of said guide rails.

8. In combination with a spreader wing, a pair of inclined parallel guide rails on one side of the wing and extending to the bottom of said wing, a ditching blade mounted for movement in said guide rails, a screw rod operatively engaged at one end to said blade, a rotative nut in which the other end of said rod is engaged, means on said wing providing rotative bearing for said nut though holding the same against endwise movement and means for turning said nut in either' direction.

9. In combination with a spreader wing, a pair of inclined parallel guide rails on one side of the wing and extending to the bottom of said wing, a ditching blade mounted for movement in said guide rails, a screw rod operativelyv engaged at one end to said blade, a rotative nut in which the other end of said rod is engaged, means on said wing providing rotative bearing for said nut though holding'the same against endwise movement, a reversible motor mounted on said win g and operatively connected to said nut to turn it in either direction. Y

l0. In combination with a spreader wing, a pair of spaced guide rails on the rear side of the wing and Vextending at their bottom ends to the bottom end of said wing, means connecting the bottom ends of said guide rails together, a ditching blade mounted for movement in said guide rails so as to be projected and retracted beyond said connecting means, a reversible motoren said wing and means connecting said motor and blade whereby the latter may be moved in either 'direction on said guide rails.

1l. In combination with a spreader wing, a pair of inclined parallel guide rails on the rear side of the wing and extending attheir bottom ends to the bottom end of said wing, a carrier slidablein said guide, a ditching blade operatively connected to said carrier and means for moving the carrier in said guide rails in either direction.

12. In combination with a spreader wing having a substantially horizontal bottom edge portion, a ditching blade mounted on the 

